Registration is underway for the United Way of Hancock County’s Fall Days of Caring, for both nonprofits looking to submit projects and for volunteers who would like to help out.

Fall Days of Caring will take place September 19-21.

New this fall, volunteers will have the opportunity to serve with ticket sales and scanning at the entrance gates of the Hancock County Fair – an early option with a direct signup.

The fair takes place Aug. 31-Sept. 5, and volunteers can sign up for a 3.5-hour shift from 7 am to 9 pm on most days.

Gate volunteers will even receive two free admission tickets for the day of their choice to visit the fair.

During Days of Caring, employees of area corporations and small businesses lend a hand to local organizations.

Nonprofits in need of help submit projects, volunteer teams register to help, and the United Way matches up the two groups.

In four-hour shifts, the volunteers take on projects such as landscaping, organizing, painting, planning an event, cleaning, or construction.

Shifts run from 8 am-12 pm or 12-4 pm.

“Months later, I continue to be in awe of the thousand volunteers who came out to help for this year’s Spring Days of Caring,” said Angela DeBoskey, CEO of UWHC.

“They provided a tremendous boost in 4,000 hours of service – a value of about $120,000 to our community. We are looking forward to continuing that momentum both during Days of Caring and our upcoming campaign.” According to Independent Sector, the national value of a volunteer hour is $29.95.

The Spring Days of Caring volunteer teams represented: Marathon Petroleum Corp., Blanchard Valley Health System, Whirlpool Corp., First National Bank of Pandora, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies, City Apparel, Goodyear/Cooper Tire and Rubber, the McComb Future Farmers of America Club, Fifth Third Bank, Aktion Club of Hancock County, Hearthside Food Solutions, and UWHC’s Community Connections group.

Registration for Fall Days of Caring opens Tuesday and closes Aug. 12.

UWHC will connect volunteer teams and agencies for final project planning on or before Sept. 8. Fall Days of Caring will run Sept. 19-21.

To learn more, register a volunteer team, or register a project, visit the UWHC website.

The video below and picture above are from the Days of Caring in May when we stopped by Whittier Primary School.